CLEVELAND, Ohio — Nolan Jones just had his first three-hit game of the season. He drove in two critical runs Wednesday in a five-run eighth inning for the Guardians against the Dodgers.

Then Jones watched Angel Martinez hit a three-run homer to turn the 4-4 tie that he created with his single into a 7-4 sweep-denying win over the Dodgers at Progressive Field.

The left-handed hitting Jones didn’t start the game because the Dodgers started veteran lefty Clayton Kershaw. But in the fourth inning, he came off the bench to replace injured Steven Kwan (sore right wrist) and went 3 for 3 with two RBI.

Yet when Jones met with reporters after the game, he talked about his slow start to the season. It was as if he was apologizing for it.

“I’ve had a tough start. It’s no secret,” said Jones. “With the lefty in there, I wasn’t expecting to get in until at least the sixth inning.

“Kershaw was cruising for a little bit. They said, ‘You good to go, Kwan is a little banged up right now?’ I said sure. It was a quick start for me, but it worked out.”

Perhaps the unexpectedness of the situation played a part in Jones’ success. No time for in-depth preparation. No time to breakdown the opposing starter. No time to turn the bat handle into sawdust while worrying about the .175 (22 for 126) batting average he opened the game with.

It was simple: see ball, hit ball.

“It turned out to be kind of a blessing in disguise that I was not in the lineup,” said Jones. “I got thrown in there in the fourth. I was prepared, but not as prepared as I would have been if my name was in the lineup.

“I felt like I was able to slow things down a little bit.”

Jones has started games in all three outfield positions this season, but he’s spent most of his time platooning in right field. He faces the right-handers and Jhonkensy Noel faces the left-handers.

When Jones said he hasn’t faced many left-handers this season, he wasn’t kidding. When he singled off Kershaw with one out in fifth inning, it was his first hit against a lefty in 14 at-bats this season.

In the seventh inning, facing right-hander Lou Trivino, Jones sent a drive to right center. He slid into second for an apparent double, but his slide carried him off the bag and shortstop Mookie Betts tagged him out.

The single that should have been a double seemed to capture Jones’ first two months with the Guardians perfectly.

“I’ve been through this before,” he said. “I think that’s the main thing. The first time you’re struggling in the major leagues, it’s tough. You’re on TV every night. People are messaging you and everything else.

“It’s real. To be able to tune that out, and know that I’ve been through it (is the biggest thing).”

In his third and final at-bat, Jones faced another lefty in Tanner Scott. The Guardians trailed, 4-2, in the eighth inning. There was one out, but the bases were loaded.

Jones singled to left field to score Noel and Will Wilson to tie the score. Alex Vesia relieved Scott and Martinez greeted him with a homer into the left field bleachers.

“I was trying my best to stay on the fastball,” said Jones, who hit a 1-2 pitch. ” He started me off with a slider. Then I was late on a fastball and knew I had to get my timing better.

“I got a slider and just threw my hands at it. The plan was ultimately to get a ball in play and get one run home. It worked out and go through.”

Jones was Cleveland’s second round pick in 2016. They traded him to the Rockies after the 2022 season for Juan Brito. He had a big year in 2023 for the Rockies, hitting .297 (169 for 367) with 22 doubles, four triples, 20 homers and 62 RBI. He stole 20 bases, posted a .931 OPS (onbase percentage + slugging percentage) and finished fourth in the balloting for NL Rookie of the Year.

In March, near the end of spring training, the Guardians re-acquired Jones for Tyler Freeman. Jones, 6-5 and 195 pounds, is out of options.

As rocky as his second go-around with the Guardians has been, the success Jones had in 2022 is sustaining him.

“The hardest thing is to believe you belong in the big leagues,” said Jones. “I’ve been really good in the big leagues. I think that goes a long way.”

Finally

Ben Lively is expected to undergo surgery on his right elbow next week in Arlington, Texas. Dr. Keith Meister will perform the surgery. Lively will need 12 months to 16 months to recover … The top four hitters in the Gurdians’ lineup on Wednesday, including Jones, went 11 for 19 with one homer and seven RBI … Rehabbing David Fry is 1 for 8 in his first and Chase DeLauter 4 for 13 at Triple-A Columbus.